Lindelani Sibisi’s manager Colin ‘Nomakanjani’ Nathan is happy after an arbitration ruled in their favour to decide who will challenge the boxer for the South African featherweight title.
This followed after Siyabulela Hem’s handlers had taken the matter to Boxing South Africa (BSA) objecting to Sibisi defending his title against Fule. An arbitration hearing took more than 24 hours at the BSA offices in Pretoria last week.
The matter was compounded by the BSA sanctioning committee’s decision to sanction Hem’s challenge on the basis of him being the current SA junior-featherweight champion.
“After weeks of emails, objections, arguments and confusion within the offices of Boxing South Africa and their sub-committee, sanity has finally prevailed over who has the right to challenge Lindelani Sibisi for his South African featherweight title,” Nathan, who is the director at NO DOUBT Management, said.
Affected camps gathered in Pretoria last week with Nathan and Hlula Dladla from Hlula Dladla Boxing Promotion representing Sibisi, Fule’s manager Andile Mshumpela and Xaba Promotions boss Ayanda Matiti.
After listening to arguments from both camps, arbitrators led by their chairperson Advocate Keitumetsi Johanna Mogale-Makinta ruled in favour of Sibisi defending his title against Fule.
The ruling said: “The sanctioning of the bout between Lindelani Sibisi and Siyabulela Hem is hereby reviewed and set aside. The bout between Lindelani Sibisi and Bongani Fule, scheduled for 28 March 2026, is declared validly sanctioned mandatory championship contest.”
An elated Nathan said: “A first of its kind in the history of South African boxing and a harsh lesson to Boxing South Africa regarding their internal issues and decision-making, the arbitration committee ruled in favour of Fule as the rightful challenger according to the Boxing South Africa rules and regulations.
“Hem’s team and the sanctioning committee chairman relied on a policy, signed off in January 2025 by the board and chairperson, that allowed a South African champion in one weight division to challenge a South African champio in another division; they argued this policy made Hem the rightful challenger for Sibisi.
“The arbitration ruled that upon any reliance on internal rules to elevate Hem above a regulation-based mandatory challenger is misplaced and unlawful. They ruled that Sibisi vs Fule is the valid sanctioned mandatory championship contest.” – Monwabisi Jimlongo
